Memory devices are typically provided as internal, semiconductor, integrated circuits in computers or other electronic systems. There are many different types of memory including random-access memory (RAM), read only memory (ROM), dynamic random access memory (DRAM), synchronous dynamic random access memory (SDRAM), resistive random access memory (RRAM), double data rate memory (DDR), low power double data rate memory (LPDDR), phase change memory (PCM) and Flash memory.
Non-volatile memory is memory that can retain its stored data for some extended period without the application of power. Flash memory devices have developed into a popular source of non-volatile memory for a wide range of electronic applications. Flash memory devices are commonly used in electronic systems, such as personal computers, personal digital assistants (PDAs), digital cameras, digital media players, digital recorders, games, appliances, vehicles, wireless devices, cellular telephones, and removable memory modules, and the uses for Flash memory continue to expand.
Many memory devices, such as commonly included in some electronic systems, perform various operations to manage the operation of the memory device. Memory devices typically perform memory operations such as reading, writing and erasing operations. These operations are sometimes referred to as foreground operations as these operations are sometimes initiated by a memory access device, such as a processor, or other memory device control circuitry coupled to the memory device. Additional operations include what are sometimes referred to as background operations. These operations are sometimes initiated by control circuitry in a memory device itself. Wear-leveling in memory devices might be performed as a background operation, for example. Wear-leveling operations might be performed to distribute memory erase cycles across a memory array of a memory device in an effort to improve reliability. As the demand for higher operating speeds in memory devices continue to increase, violation of timing requirements of memory devices may occur as a result of performing one or more of these background operations.
For the reasons stated above, and for other reasons stated below which will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon reading and understanding the present specification, there is a need in the art for mitigating violating memory device timing requirements as a result of performing operations, such as background operations, in memory devices.